How to improve your 5K running speed things I learnt from my first 5K race How to improve your 5K running speed championship spot on a major race’s start line, what counts as a ‘good’ 5K time is not set in stone.
Running or racing any distance — particularly if it’s your first time — is a personal achievement and cause for celebration. The 5K distance (which equates to 3.1 miles) is a popular goal for new runners as it’s accessible and involves a manageable training load you can introduce gradually and fit around other life commitments.
Couch to 5k is favoured by runners as a way to build towards the distance gradually – and the app has now been downloaded Published: 20 November 2024. This year, parkrun – which now has over nine million registered parkrunners globally – celebrated its 20th anniversary, showing just how popular the 5K distance is. That might help explain why one of the most popular running questions asked on Google is: ‘What is a good 5K time?’
Keen to explore what is both the ‘average’ 5K time and what is a ‘good’ 5K time, we dived into the data collected by RunRepeat, which examined a staggering 107.9 million race results from more than 70 thousand events in 209 countries between 1986 and 2018.
Whether you have put your first parkrun in the diary or are targeting a 5K race PB, having specific goals in mind can help keep you motivated and guide you on how to approach the run. Here’s what we found…
What is the average 5K finish time in the UK?
According to RunRepeat’s data, the average 5K finish time for UK runners — including both men and women — is 33 minutes. Just looking at the average for men, the average 5K finish time is 29 minutes – and for women, the average 5K finish time is 38 minutes.
What is the average running pace for a 5K?
The average 5K pace for a man in the UK is 5:48 min/km, or 9:33 min/mile. For a woman in the UK, the average 5K pace is 7:36 min/km, or 12:14 min/mile.
What are the 5K world records?
Athletes race across the 5K distance both on the road and the track, so different world records are held for different surfaces. It’s important to differentiate between the two, as quicker times tend to be set on the track due to it being a speedier environment.
Men
A 5K race on the track – more commonly referred to as the 5000m – is currently held by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who ran the distance in an incredible 12:35.36. He broke the record on 14 August 2020 at a Diamond League meet in Monaco at the Stade Louis II, taking two seconds off Kenenisa Bekele’s previous record of 12:37.35, set on 31 May 2004 in Hengelo.
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi currently holds the men’s 5K road world record – an impressive 12:49, which he set on 31 December 2021, aged just 20, at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona. His time broke Cheptegei’s previously held 5K road record of 12:51, set on 16 February 2020 in Monaco.
Women
On the track, Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay currently holds the women's 5000 world record. She ran 14:00.21 at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet in Eugene on 17 September 2023. She took nearly five seconds off the previous mark set in June of the same year by Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon (14:05.20).
Out on the road, Kenyan runner Beatrice Chebet holds the women’s 5K world record with a time of 14:13. Like Aregawi, Chebet – who was 23 at the time – set the record on 31 December 2023 at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona. She took six seconds off Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye's mark (14:19), set at the same event in 2021.
How long does it take to train for a 5K?
Training plans vary in length depending on the individual runner’s current fitness level and goals, but most 5Advertisement - Continue Reading Below rest and recovery.
If you’re looking for a plan to help you target a specific time, for example, breaking the 30- or 20-minute mark, we’ve got a great Regardless of your age and ability, its also important to incorporate good to choose from.
Regardless of your age and ability, it’s also important to incorporate good Regardless of your age and ability, its also important to incorporate good, adequate strength and conditioning and good nutrition and hydration An editors guide to running a faster 5k.
What 5K time should I target?
First-time 5K runners
If this is your first time running a 5K, that is a fantastic achievement in itself. You really don’t need to worry about times – just focus on getting that first 5K run under your belt. However, if you absolutely insist on some kind of benchmark, anywhere between 30 and 40 minutes is a solid goal for beginners.
Intermediate 5K runners
If you are a more experienced runner and can confidently run the distance, you might be starting to think about specific times you want to target. For the 5K, ‘intermediate’ can cover quite a broad range of experience levels, so popular goals might be breaking the 30- or even 25-minute mark.
To achieve a time of 29 minutes, you would need to run at a pace of 5:48 min/km, or 9:33 min/mile, and to run 24 minutes, you would need to pick up the pace to 4:48 min/km or 7:43 min/mile.
Advanced 5K runners
For the top club runners or those who run and race 5Ks regularly, achieving a finish time of anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes is a popular target for men, while women might target anything between 17 and 22 minutes.
